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“Den förlorade generationen” - En kvalitativ textanalys om hur de ungas medverkan i gängkriminalitet konstrueras i Aftonbladet.

Fröberg, Maria LU and Hiskias, Kokhoba LU (2025) SOPB63 20232
School of Social Work
Abstract
This study examines how Aftonbladet, one of Sweden’s most widely read tabloid newspapers, constructs and portrays youth gang crime in Stockholm’s Järva area. The study explores the dominant discourses shaping public perception and policy responses through a qualitative text analysis of 24 articles published between 2019 and 2023. Additionally, the role of social media in reinforcing these narratives is considered. Grounded in social constructionism and the theory of moral panic, the analysis shows that Aftonbladet’s reporting frequently relies on dramatic storytelling techniques, emotionally charged language, and selective framing of events. This contributes to a narrative that amplifies fear, reinforces stereotypes, and emphasizes... (More)
This study examines how Aftonbladet, one of Sweden’s most widely read tabloid newspapers, constructs and portrays youth gang crime in Stockholm’s Järva area. The study explores the dominant discourses shaping public perception and policy responses through a qualitative text analysis of 24 articles published between 2019 and 2023. Additionally, the role of social media in reinforcing these narratives is considered. Grounded in social constructionism and the theory of moral panic, the analysis shows that Aftonbladet’s reporting frequently relies on dramatic storytelling techniques, emotionally charged language, and selective framing of events. This contributes to a narrative that amplifies fear, reinforces stereotypes, and emphasizes punitive measures such as increased policing and harsher sentencing. The structural conditions that may contribute to youth gang involvement, such as social exclusion and economic inequality, receive comparatively little attention. By critically examining how media representations influence public and political understandings of gang crime, this study highlights the potential risks of a discourse that prioritizes repression over prevention. The findings suggest that a narrow media portrayal may shape interventions that are not fully aligned with criminological research on the underlying factors contributing to youth involvement in gangs. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Fröberg, Maria LU and Hiskias, Kokhoba LU
supervisor
organization
course
SOPB63 20232
year
type
M2 - Bachelor Degree
subject
keywords
gang crime, youth violence, media discourse, moral panic, social constructionism
language
Swedish
id
9187130
date added to LUP
2025-04-07 15:12:07
date last changed
2025-04-07 15:19:41
@misc{9187130,
  abstract     = {{This study examines how Aftonbladet, one of Sweden’s most widely read tabloid newspapers, constructs and portrays youth gang crime in Stockholm’s Järva area. The study explores the dominant discourses shaping public perception and policy responses through a qualitative text analysis of 24 articles published between 2019 and 2023. Additionally, the role of social media in reinforcing these narratives is considered. Grounded in social constructionism and the theory of moral panic, the analysis shows that Aftonbladet’s reporting frequently relies on dramatic storytelling techniques, emotionally charged language, and selective framing of events. This contributes to a narrative that amplifies fear, reinforces stereotypes, and emphasizes punitive measures such as increased policing and harsher sentencing. The structural conditions that may contribute to youth gang involvement, such as social exclusion and economic inequality, receive comparatively little attention. By critically examining how media representations influence public and political understandings of gang crime, this study highlights the potential risks of a discourse that prioritizes repression over prevention. The findings suggest that a narrow media portrayal may shape interventions that are not fully aligned with criminological research on the underlying factors contributing to youth involvement in gangs.}},
  author       = {{Fröberg, Maria and Hiskias, Kokhoba}},
  language     = {{swe}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{“Den förlorade generationen” - En kvalitativ textanalys om hur de ungas medverkan i gängkriminalitet konstrueras i Aftonbladet.}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}